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Discipline
The true power of the vampire, drawn from the gained potency of their Vitae and used through the expenditure of feasted blood. This, more than their innate physical ability, is what makes the vampire so dangerous. A Discipline is a set of abilities practiced by the Kindred, various forms of monstrous manipulation to the very fabric of existence. These are practiced over the course of eternity, and for very old Kindred, they could be catastrophically mighty. Mental Disciplines often come down to a disparagement in power - a Kindred of notably greater potency will usually overpower the lesser, so long as the greater puts a conscious effort into pushing back. This means that a ninety-year-old vampire would not be able to Dominate a two-hundred-thirty-year-old vampire. However, a ninety-year-old vampire has a much better, and very extant, chance of Dominating a one-hundred-ten-year-old vampire. When a Kindred uses a mental Discipline against another character's mental Discipline (e.g., Command against Liberated Mind), the gap may be larger and still maintain some semblance of fairness. Universal Disciplines These are, quite literally, the nature of the Beast - elements common to all Kindred, that may be sought out and practiced regardless of clan or covenant. Of course, some Covenants do frown on the use of more than a few of these. Animalism Influence in the animal kingdom is a rare thing - more often than not, animals become fearful and flee at the sight of one of the Kindred. However, some can overcome this, and use their inner Beast to communicate with that of others. This practice is known as animalism. Animalistic vampires have the latent capability to bond with animals, to a greater degree than other Kindred and even most humans.The abilities are as follows: # Feral Whispers '''- The vampire must initiate eye contact with the animal in question; doing so forges a strong empathic bond between Kindred and beast, allowing communication and suggestion. # '''Obedience - A Kindred’s connection with his own feral nature now allows him to command them as well. No longer need he beg, threaten or cajole animals into doing his will. He demands, and they obey as best they can. # Call of the Wild - The Kindred is so fully in tune with her own Beast that she can call out in a feral voice — howling, hissing, cawing or the like — that beckons all creatures of a specific type. Any animal of that sort within a given area is compelled to respond, immediately moving toward the Kindred at its fastest possible. # Spirit Bond - By locking eyes with an animal, a vampire may psychically enter the creature’s body and possess it as though it were his own for two hours. # Unleashing the Beast - The vampire’s connection with the Beast is so powerful that she can manipulate not only the lesser creatures around her, but her own Beast and that of other Kindred. While she maintains no actual control, she can release the Beast in others, putting them into a frenzy of blood-thirst until the victim is forcibly stopped. Celerity Celerity has no generalized stepped improvement system; those who master this power become inordinately quick, and even quicker with time. This gave rise to the myth of vampires being able to be anywhere in a room, whenever they should choose - and is why older vampires with Celerity seem to teleport; they can move kilometres in seconds. Use of this speed draws on the Blood. Domus Nothing but their own blood is as sacred to the Kindred as their haven - sanctuary against intruders, other Kindred, and the sun itself, the haven is built as an unliving legacy and treated as family. It is little wonder, then, that some who have lived for many decades in a given haven have learned to forge a bond with it. Through a process known as the Investiture, the Kindred cuts from their body blood they have taken from mortals, and with it they paint the walls - a single, unbroken line that extends the entire perimeter of all walls, enabling the bond between Damned and sanctum and granting the haven limited powers through the Vitae, as it almost immediately soaks in with no trace. This process must be repeated for each new haven, and the steps of the Discipline relearned. There is a limit of one haven per Kindred, and one Kindred per haven. # The Web Trembles - Trespasses in the haven become felt by the owner - those who press against the walls cause a shiver on the Kindred's skin, who pass through its doors a flickering shadow in their vision, and those attempting to break in an ache in their head. This applies to all presences the Kindred could see or sense for themselves - ghosts and spirits, for example, are only sensed by those who can feel them out without the Discipline. This is a passive effect, meaning it does not require conscious activation, requiring no blood, only usable when the Damned is within their haven. # The Web Speaks - Now more than just sensing presences, the Kindred may feel what the haven feels, know what it knows, and sense what it senses. By setting their hand against the wall, on a table, of skin to any exposed surface, the Kindred may see or hear anything that goes on in their haven from any object's perspective, even if that object has no way to possess those senses. Every word spoken in the haven, every motion made, becomes the Kindred's knowledge, and nothing surprises them. This is a passive effect requiring no blood, only usable when the Damned is within their haven. # Loyal Web - The blood in the house works a magic of its own; at its master's command, the house may instill in any who stand within its walls a deep fear, terrible nausea, hallucinations, or some other debilitating or harmful feeling. This feeling, while legitimately painful and potentially even temporarily crippling, is entirely psychosomatic and has no physical impact on the victim. This power is supplied for by the Kindred, using the magic in their blood through the haven. # The Spider's Cocoon - With but a touch, the Kindred may be absorbed into their haven: they become blood, and soak into the structure the same way their Vitae did during the Investiture. The haven becomes their body; it heaves with their breath and trembles with their rage. Anything and everything that goes on in the haven is known immediately to the vampire in this state, and they may exit the structure and become manifest through any part of the haven at any time. # The Living Web - Through a second, much more bloody Investiture, the Kindred transforms the very being of their haven into their own image - that is to say, it becomes a vampire. It absorbs the blood of those within it, and soaks in the very essence of life from any plants or beings without blood, all of which are imbued into the vampire as soon as they cross into the threshold. In this way, the haven hunts for the Kindred. The haven also changes on its master's whim: with but a thought, the furniture in a room rearranges itself, the walls of a cave heave in to close a section off, and the stained glass of a church may depict different things - nothing about the haven is unknown, unknowable, or unchangeable to the master of The Living Web. Kingjan The vampiric lack of true emotion allows them a more objective view of mortal feeling - a way to stand back, as it were, and view emotion as it truly is: meaningless. This Discipline allows the Damned to take advantage of this separation and use it to their advantage by warping the feelings of their target, forcing the mortal to either feel what the user wants them to feel, or to feel nothing at all. The powers are, with the exception of Kiss of Oblivion, used in conjunction with spoken word said in person; in their function. Being based on mortal emotion, Kingjan has no effect on Kindred. # Degradation - By offering the target compliments and assurances, the vampire makes them swell with pride - but as soon as the Kindred and their words are gone, nothing else means quite as much to the target, only the words of their undead suitor. As such, victims of Degradation often develop emotional dependencies on the Damned in question, and each subsequent day in which the effect is used makes it stronger. If the victim can avoid the vampire and their words for thirty-six consecutive hours, the effect breaks completely. # Mortify - When specific topics rise in conversation that the target holds positive regard for, the Kindred may warp those feelings - the victim may be made to feel embarrassed, guilty or remorseful depending on the intentions of the Kindred, though the user's dialogue does not have to weave that way. At the user's discretion, the effect vanishes - a very useful tactic for painting oneself as a saviour to the victim. # Kiss of Oblivion - While feeding, the Kindred may not only suck from their victim blood, but the capacity to feel - draining the victim of emotional pain or pleasure for the next 24 hours. In addition, the Kindred gains an understanding of what it is that triggers specific emotions within their victim, having a general understanding of how to get their target to feel that way - exact methods such as bringing twelve roses and a box of cherry cordials are not granted, but the knowledge that flowers and candy brings about appreciation is. # Wave of Apathy - With the wave of a hand, tilt of a chin, or some other dismissive gesture that the target sees, the user removes from the target all emotion and motivation, rendering them apathetic and slothful; unable to bring themselves to do anything or find reason to persist in whatever activity they may be taking part in. This effect lasts from one hour up to twelve, depending on how much Blood the Kindred uses to weave it. # Blessed Detachment - Over time, repeated exposure to the same individual grants students of Kingjan two things: that individual's trust, even if they are an untrusting person, and the ability to completely destroy their attachment to a singular person, place, thing, or idea. The former is inevitable - every meeting, the target feels closer to the Kindred than they did before. This effect persists - but does not apply - if the individual is upset by the Kindred; their irritation negates the growth of trust, but when they cease being angry the trust that would have come about during interim meetings becomes present. When a Kindred is completely trusted by the target (which takes varying periods of time based upon how willingly trusting the target is) they may begin to, through even neutral or positive conversation on it, erode the victim's positive or negative emotions for something, replacing the emotion with apathy. This can only be used on one thing per victim. '' '' Obfuscation Night-dwellers, predators by nature and keepers of the Masquerade, vampires are inherently (and necessarily) creatures of secrecy and stealth. From hiding minute objects to the ability to appear as someone else to the power to fade from sight entirely, the Discipline of Obfuscate grants the Kindred uncanny powers of concealment, stealth and deception. Obfuscate clouds the mind in practice. For example, a character hiding an object by using this Discipline doesn’t actually make the object disappear, nor does someone using the Discipline to hide himself truly vanish. However, due to their intense practice with disappearance, a practitioner of this Discipline can be harder to see in poor circumstances of sight or hearing. Obfuscate manifests as: #'Shroud' - This first level of Obfuscate allows the vampire to conceal small items, either in her grasp or on her person. If she is skilled enough, even a thorough search fails to turn up a hidden object. Increasingly larger objects might be hidden if the Discipline user is particularly adept. #'Mask of Tranquility' - The Kindred masters the art of hiding himself to such a degree that he may subvert some of the stains that undeath leaves upon his soul. A vampire who knows this power can mask his Kindred nature from onlookers, leaving them unable to see the pale and inhuman visage of the Requiem, instead seeing a human being. #'Cloak of Night' - An essential expression of the Kindred’s secretive nature, Cloak of Night allows a vampire to literally fade from sight, becoming completely invisible to observers. Though it’s easiest to invoke the capability out of sight, Cloak of Night is so potent that it allows the vampire to vanish even under direct observation. #'The Familiar Stranger' - This power allows the character to assume the image of whomever the subject most expects to see under the circumstances in which they meet. The character has no say in whom he “becomes.” In fact, he is not even immediately aware of what aspect he is perceived to have, unless the target gives the identity away through verbal or behavioral clues. For this reason, The Familiar Stranger is best used under circumstances when contact between the character and the subject is likely to be brief. Otherwise, the character runs a substantial risk of giving the deception away through improper behavior. #'Gemini's Mirror' - This power grants the user to completely vanish - but more than that, it allows them to remain completely visible. This is through the use of a Fetch - a being created specifically for the use of representing the vampire while they are away. When the vampire ceases to concentrate on maintaining the Fetch, he reappears and the Fetch just as suddenly vanishes. Obtenebration Even among monsters, some are treated with contempt. This is how practitioner of Obtenebration are seen - with the kind of suspicion humans reserve for those they believe to be witches; it is the weaving of shadows into horrible constructs, used to trick and terrify the enemies that the vampire may have - they can only be beaten with sunlight. Those who practice Obtenebration have become so in-tune with the dark that they can see in even the blackest of nights. Their other abilities are: #'Shadow Play' - Allowing the vampire to bend shadows, then can make shapes out of them and even bend them into three-dimensional objects. These objects, however, have no tangibility - they can be reached straight through. #'Shroud of Shadow' - The vampire creates a massive cloud of darkness over a (not terribly large, but not inconsiderable) area - and from this, use it to their advantage with other abilities concerning it. #'Nightshade' - The Kindred forms a solid object out of intangible shadow - be it a weapon, a key, whatever they should need - for a short period of time. This requires the majority of his focus to maintain. #'Shadowstep' - A Kindred has the ability to teleport from shadow to shadow, so long as they can see it, and it is large enough to hide their entire form within it. #'Midnight Aegis' - Pulling shadows from around them, the Kindred forms himself a solid suit of armor that is impenetrable against anything save sunlight and fire. This only lasts as long as the vampire maintains the energy to keep it up, even as the armor saps away energy with every hit it takes. Resilience Another of the indiscrete abilities, Resilience is the ability of a vampire to seem invulnerable; it is as though his skin is made of iron. As the vampire becomes more and more in-tune with this Discipline, he becomes harder and harder to injure, even with intense beatings. He is still just as susceptible, though, to the sun and fire. Use of this imperviousness draws on Blood. Vigor Vigor is the inhuman strength that is often associated with vampires. Like Celerity and Resilience, it lacks generally defined states, or different levels - with use and practice, they are able to lift things that normal Kindred would shrink from, over time reaching the power to lift and throw cars - potentially more. Use of this strength draws on Blood. Clan-Specific Only members of the specified clans may practice these Disciplines - it is (or was) in their Vitae of their clan's forefather - and now dwells in them. Auspex Clan Mekhet A heightening of senses even beyond that of normal Kindred, Auspex gives the vampire who uses it an amazing array of senses - and introduces some beyond the normal capacity. Those who practice it keep dramatically increased normal senses at all times - a major asset in most cases, and in some a nuisance. The abilities associated with the Auspex are: # Heightened Senses - When this power is activated, all of the vampire’s senses sharpen to a razor’s edge, effectively doubling both the range and clarity of all stimuli received - this on top of the amazing sense they already possess leaves virtually nothing escaping their attention. # Aura Perception - With this mystic power, a vampire can open his perceptions to the psychic auras that surround all sentient creatures. Unlike popular culture, aura have no color; rather, they are roiling waves (depending on their strength) of feeling that impresses upon the viewer sensations such as the target's emotion, state of mind, and overall person with inexplicable properties that are difficult to understand, and nearly impossible to forget. #'Spirit's Touch' - The Kindred’s powers of perception have progressed to the point that he can pick up psychic impressions from objects about the person who last held them simply by handling them for a moment or two. These psychic impressions typically come in the form of quick and cryptic images, usually with concern to who last was in possession of it. Impressions of long-time owners or those who handled it with extreme internal emotion can precede the last handler, sometimes making it difficult to interpret what, exactly, the relation is to the object. #'Telepathy' - At this level of advancement of one’s extrasensory perceptions, a vampire may project his consciousness into a nearby individual’s mind. Doing so creates a mental link whereby the Kindred can communicate silently or even scan the surface of the target’s subconscious. With enough practice, a vampiric telepath can uncover nearly any secret from any sentient being around him. #'Twilight Projection' - Commonly seen as the pinnacle of Auspex achievement, this power allows a vampire to project her perceptions out of her physical body. Her senses take on an existence their own, traveling the material world like a spectre. Such a form, called a “ghost body,” is immune to fatigue and physical harm, and it can fly at great speeds. Domination Clan Ventrue Some Kindred are capable of overwhelming the minds of others with their own force of will, influencing actions and even thoughts. Use of Dominate requires a character to capture a victim’s gaze. The Discipline can therefore be used on only one subject at a time, and is useless if eye contact is not possible. Despite this, there is a residual effect in the user - among those he speaks to with eye contact, he holds significantly more sway than anyone else (besides those with a greater capacity for domination). The levels of Domination are: #'Command' - Once he has established eye contact, the vampire issues a single, one-word command that must be obeyed instantly. The order must be clear and straightforward — freeze, jump, run, stop, fall, cough, blink and so forth. If the command is ambiguous or confusing, the subject might respond slowly or perform the task poorly. Further, commands are always interpreted (within reason) in the subject’s best interests. #'Mesmerize' - This allows the Kindred to implant a false thought or suggestion into the subject’s subconscious mind. The power requires eye contact and precise wording, so both the user and the subject must be free from distraction. The Kindred may activate the imposed thought or command immediately, or a stimulus that activates the suggestion at a later date. The victim must be able to understand the vampire. The Kindred must maintain eye contact only as long as it takes to implant the suggestion or idea, and after the fact the victim does not remember the command. #'Molding the Mind' - A vampire with this power can literally delve into a subject’s mind, stealing or reshaping memories at whim. The power, as with all uses of Dominate, requires eye contact. The vampire acts much like a hypnotist, asking direct questions to draw answers from the subject, and then describing in detail any new memories she wishes to impose on the victim. More in-depth or ingrained memories are much harder to change. #'Conditioning' - Through constant veiled whispers, subtle hints and frequent sustained manipulation, a vampire can slowly render a particular victim substantially more suggestible. Conditioning is normally used only on favored or valuable servants and, over sufficient time, makes the character’s efforts to Dominate a subject far easier while making it harder for any other Kindred to do so. This task, however, is a monumental one - it can take weeks or even years to achieve fully. #'Domination' - By this point, the Kindred need not rely on spoken commands and limited understanding. With the mere locking of the victim’s gaze, the vampire can utterly supplant the subject’s own psyche with her own, possessing the subject like a malevolent spirit. Once the Kindred has crushed the victim’s will, she literally takes over the body, inhabiting it and controlling it as easily as she does her own. Her mind now resides within the victim, and her own body falls into a torpor-like state, becoming indistinguishable from a true corpse. '' '' Majesty Clan Daeva One of the most legendary powers of the undead is the ability to attract, sway and control the emotions of others, especially those of mortals. Majesty is perhaps the most versatile of Disciplines, for its potential uses and applications are both varied and multitudinous. The more savvy the practitioner, the more use he can get out of each of the Discipline’s levels. Majesty can be used on crowds, with the only condition being that the victims are able to see the user - eye contact helps, but it isn't a must. Those who practice Majesty are then permanently better (but not nearly as good as using the Discipline makes them) speakers - maybe not in actual speech, but to the hearing of their audience. Majesty's powers consist of the following: #'Awe' - This power makes the user seem exponentially more charismatic and magnetic than he normally is. The force of his personality issues forth in waves, drawing people to him like moths to a flame. Perhaps the greatest use for Awe is its ability to facilitate public speaking or debate. Whatever the vampire says, people are likely to lend serious credence to his position and views, and even the staunchest opponents gladly hear him out. #'Revelation' - The allure and reassurance of a Kindred with this power is enough to make others forego caution and share their innermost feelings and secrets. A few complimentary or compassionate words or a heartfelt look from the vampire can break down a person’s prudence and fear, inspiring a desire to share deep feelings or dark secrets in an upwelling of affection or release. #'Entrancement' - Using this power, the Kindred warps the emotional state of the subject, making him a willing servant of the vampire. Subjects retain their sense of identity and free will, believing that every instinct to serve and admire comes of their own volition. When the duration of an Entrancement ends, however, confusion and displacement arise, often leading to mixed feelings. #'Summoning' - This rather potent power allows the vampire to call any individual he knows personally to his side. In short, the vampire reaches out with the force of his personality and makes a colleague, acquaintance, rival or outright enemy know without doubt that he wishes that person to attend him at once. There is no limit on the distance or range of this power, but summoning someone halfway around the world takes time, even under the best of circumstances. #'Sovereignty' - This augments the power of a vampire’s personal deportment to incredible levels. The newly empowered mien inspires devotion, respect and fear in those who stand in the vampire’s proximity. The weak-willed supplicate themselves for the chance to serve, and the stout of heart find themselves at a loss to do anything but acquiesce. Sovereignty’s power influences decisions, breaks hearts, cripples confidence and shakes the ambitious to the foundations of their determination. The vibe the vampire gives off makes others quick to surrender, and the thought of risking his displeasure quails even the heartiest souls. Raising one’s voice to a sovereign Kindred seems unthinkable; aggression upon him seems impossible. '' '' Nightmare Clan Nosferatu There’s no question that one of the foremost powers of legendary vampires is the ability to strike fear in the hearts of mortal men. Also born of mortal existence, other now-supernatural beings are susceptible. Fear is a fact of existence that transcends any origins. Vampires who delve into the dark side of their being — often exploring the Beast or what it means to be monstrous — invest in the Discipline of Nightmare. They learn to bear that which is terrifying or unholy about their spirits, manifesting their inhumanity in their appearance or letting unfortunate onlookers peer deep into the creatures’ depraved souls. Those who practice Nightmare can send chills down the spine of just about anyone with the mere intention of a hard look - maybe not enough to scare them, but enough to set them on edge. Nightmare is: #'Monstrous Countenance' - The true face of a vampire is a frightening thing, indeed - made all the more terrifying by the assistance of this entirely unsubtle Nightmare power. When a Kindred activates Monstrous Countenance, he does so in conjunction with a ferocious baring of fangs and a raspy, malevolent hiss. The result is a visage most foul, one that can make stalwart foes cower at the vampire’s feet. #'Dread' - No longer must the vampire rely upon brutish, blunt means of striking fear; they now possess the ability to bring fear up from the inside of the victim, a creeping sense of rising panic and paranoia, until the victim is consumed with their fear. #'Eye of the Beast '- A use of the primal fear one has for a superior predator, Eye of the Beast shows the victim just what the vampire truly is, if only for a moment - a vicious, hateful Beast, set to tear them limb from limb. This power requires eye contact to use. #'Shattering the Mind' - No description can be given to this level of Nightmare mastery other than inhumane brutality. And yet, the power is horribly insidious for affecting only a victim’s mind, leaving the body untouched. The vampire confronts a subject with her greatest fear, driving her away in complete and total fear. #'Mortal Fear' - At this point, fear is no longer a tool for driving people away, or breaking down their defenses - it has become a weapon, intent on causing bodily harm to the victim. He ages prematurely, his hair turns white and his heart stops temporarily — or permanently. Even other vampires can be affected. They’re reminded of what fear meant back during their breathing days, no matter how long ago those days might have been. The subject must be able to see the vampire employing this power for it to take effect. Protean Clan Gangrel Easily one of the most overtly spectacular of the gifts of the Damned, the Discipline of Protean is the study of physical metamorphosis and transformation. The nature of this power is hotly debated among the Kindred, for its abilities are so varied while simultaneously stemming from no obvious aspect of the Curse. Whatever its cause or origin, Protean allows its masters to assume virtually any form or shape. Over time, the Protean can slowly change their shape to anything their heart desires. Active abilities include: #'Claws of the Beast' - The vampire’s nails grow into long, fearsome talons, capable of rending bone and flesh alike. This power them truly fearsome combatants, and other Kindred tend to give them a wide berth. Not every vampire’s claws look the same. Some are modeled after real-world animals’, such as wolves’, tigers’ or the talons of birds of prey, while other claws seem to have no natural correlative at all - they are simply horrible creations of their master's mind. #'Meld' - While only able to do so with soil at first, with time and experience a vampire can learn how to conjoin with other elements - or, really, anything inanimate. While so interred, the character is immune to threat of harm from the sun’s rays, or to any physical attack as his corporeal form is actually merged with that of the substance itself - but they are rendered immobile, attached to that to which they are melded. #'Skin-Walk' - Using this power, the vampire can take on the form of any person she has ever some into physical contact with - her form changes to that person, or even a conglomeration of persons, for as long as she can maintain focus enough to do so. This is often hard, as skin-walking is most often used in tandem with fooling someone. #'Feral Form' - Now more than human, the vampire takes the form of an animal - and while doing so, loses a part of himself. The animalistic part of his nature takes over, though he still has conscious control over his action. His more sentient nature returns to him when he leaves this form, but if spent too long in the form, can dissipate slowly, until nothing is left. #'Mist' - This power enables a Kindred to transform his entire body into a fine, chilling mist. As a small cloud of vapor, the character can float along above the ground at his normal Speed, slipping under doors and in between screens with ease. Although especially strong winds can divert him from his desired course for a time, not even gale-force winds can fully disperse his misty essence. Covenant-Specific Guarded, held close and dear, these are the Disciplines of Covenant taught only to members. It is important to note that while it is possible to use the Discipline of a Covenant one was once a part of, to do so is considered heresy by nearly all of the Damned. Coils of the Dragon Covenant: Ordo Dracul The Ordo Dracul preaches to its members the ideal of a Magnum Opus, for not only personal but public achievement: transcendance from the eternal suffering that is being Kindred. To do so, their members take on different areas of study, or Coils. These Coils take many years to study each level, and change the vampire philosophically and physically through ritual passages, making them something altogether different than they were. Unlike most Disciplines, each Coil has only three steps, known as "tiers" to it - a Dragon who has mastered their Coil is known as a Scholar of that Coil, though the titling process gets much more complicated from there with additional Coils taken on. All Coils are passive effects, meaning they require no Blood to fuel, but are essentially useless for combat. These are gained one tier at a time, in order, like regular Disciplines. Coil of Ascendance: 'Those following the way of the Ascendant seek to surmount the influence of the Sun, working towards beating what they see as the greatest opponent of their Requiem. ''Tier One: Surmounting the Daysleep - With focus, the Kindred may refute the powerful urge to sleep during the day, allowing them to stay awake into the morning and rise before sunset. They are still just as affected when contacted by the sun's rays. Tier Two: Conquer the Red Fear - Kindred will no longer collapse into a Frenzy when presented with the threat of fire or the sun. Tier Three: Sun's Forgotten Kiss - At sunrise and sunset, the Kindred may go out into the light and experience the rays of the sun without burning or being subjected to the excruciating pain. 'Coil of Blood: '''It is, say the followers of this Coil, the Kindred dependency on blood that holds them back - it is their truest addiction, their only love; to conquer the state of undeath is to conquer the thirst it brings. ''Tier One: Blood Seeps Slowly - Blood, so precious as it is, is needed less often than for most Kindred - feeding may be put off for a week or more with no negative effect. This is no improvement on using it for Disciplines, however, and in that regard it is used just as quickly. Tier Two: Blood of Beasts - The blood of animals, while tasting no better than the swill it is, becomes enough for the Kindred to sustain their Requiem on indefinitely. ''Tier Three: Perspicacious Blood ''- The Kindred draws more sustenance out of each feeding, the blood of the victim becoming "thicker" in their veins - allowing for more Disciplines, more time spent between feeding, and a greater ability to heal wounds. '''Coil of Flesh: Some believe it necessary for the Kindred to be able to interact with the kine - in this stepping-out of being the mighty Hunter, they may find what existence truly means. Some find it humbling, others disgusting - but the derivation of joy from life among kine is seen by the Kindred, and pined after. Tier One: Enliven the Face - ''This restores the Kindred a part of their innate connection to the subtle cues, connections, and social standards of the world. It also permanently gives the Kindred more of the appearance of a human - more than passable under inspection, but still cool to the touch and slightly pale. ''Tier Two: A Taste of Life - While putting effort into looking alive, the Kindred may eat and by some means digest food, even if they lack the organs to do so. Tier Three: The Face of Man - Hair and nails begin to grow, and the Kindred leaves behind an image (albeit one slightly out of focus) in mirrors, photographs, recordings, and wherever else their image might be. Coil of Soul: 'The flaws of the body of the Damned is a thing easily hidden among Kindred - but their soul, is not so much. This is a Coil devoted to preserving the soul and sanity of the Kindred, and making sure that there is a creature, somewhere inside of them, capable of reasoning with not only logic but compassion. ''Tier One: Break the Terror ''- When the Kindred goes into Torpor, the length of time for which they must rest decreases by half. ''Tier Two: Salve the Mind - The Kindred finds it easier to retain - but does not regain - the human morality they once clung to, if any. This allows them to feel emotions' echoes more vibrantly, and understand things from both and ethical and moral perspective more easily. Tier Three: Quiet the Soul - Over time, the Kindred let slip the whole of their sanity - morality or no - and become truly apart from all other life. Quiet the Soul slows this degeneration immensely, allowing for the Damned to hold of insanity until a much greater age. Crúac Covenant: Circle of the Crone All Crúac rituals put the nature of the Beast above the Man, as the entire philosophy as the Circle does - the Beast is, after all, the more natural side, and the side from which their power is derived. There is no set list of Crúac rituals; only of what they have in common. Two Crúac rituals may be as different as the night is from the day, and still achieve the same end - what matters for their effect is intent and sacrifice. Crúac rituals can functionally achieve any effect the ritualist wishes - different from all other Disciplines in that there are no set limitations, guidelines, nor steps. What all rituals do require, however, are as follows: * Sacrifice. A sacrifice is necessary for the - a supposed "fair trade" for the desired effect of the ritual. Be this fair trade in sentimental, monetary, or organic value makes no difference; only that the trade in sacrifice for effect be in some way equal or fair. In the course of this ritual, this sacrifice is what fuels the whole process. Common examples include cats, baby blankets, gems, and human body parts. * Vitae. Be it through a slit wrist dripping onto the ground, drawn out of a willing neonate, or drained from the neck of a sacrificed Kindred, no ritual is possible without the unholy magic of Vitae. Where the initial sacrifice is the fuel, this would be the catalyst - that which initiates the conversion of the sacrifice to the result, without which there could be no ritual. * An appropriate number of ritualists. The vast majority of "casual" rituals, that lack the extreme complication of those that have very strong or far-reaching powers, may be performed by a single ritualist. The more complex or demanding a ritual becomes, as they inevitably do with greater potency and potential, the more ritualists it requires. * Ceremony. It does not matter what the ceremony is, how it occurs, or what it involves, ceremony must be present. This is especially true for more powerful rituals, as without ceremony they often simply blow up in the ritualists faces. Ceremony often involves runes, incantations, incenses, and other methods by which the unholy power may be woven into existence. * Spoken intent. There must be a statement of intent declared aloud over the course over the ceremony. What language it is in, what the specific phrasing is - even if it is grammatically incorrect, are all irrelevant, so long as the statement is made. * A target. With all the power being brought into existence as the sacrifice is converted into power by the Vitae and ritual, there must be some sort of vessel - be it a phylactery, a person, a familiar, or the weather, anything can be a vessel is suitable. Often spells that are used on the ritualist or a humanoid target are intended to be an immediate effect; those imbued into some form of phylactery or a familiar are saved to be used at a later time. In order for a Crúac ritual to be used, the character must make a post detailing their ritual. In response to this, a Consequence NPC will reply to the post how effective the ritual has been, what effect it will have, and how potent the effect is. Doctrinam Covenant: Invictus Properly named as Doctrinae Invictus, Doctrinam is the practice by which many Elders aid their young childer in learning the proper way of things - or so they say. In truth, Doctrinam is a shrewd combination of conditioning and control through illusion and perception - and as its users are quick to point out, it is not true Domination. The secrets of Doctrinam are taught only to the upper echelons of the Invictus hierarchy, and jealously guarded by those who know them. It is a demanding Discipline, so even if a neonate should be in the position of knowing higher the powers, they would have great difficulty in executing them. Users of Doctrinam tend to find themselves more able to find the right words to persuade, even when the Discipline is not active. # '''Recordor '' ''- By forcing their lesser to stand before them, an Elder may bring to the lesser's present mind a particular memory whose existence is known by the Elder. In doing so, they corrupt whatever emotional ties that memory once held, and replace it with the target's currently-felt emotions. If a lesser can be made to feel guilty in the present, and a memory of happy times is called to mind, the happiness associated with that event is soured into guilt, and from then on that memory causes that same feeling of guilt. # Tango Invisablis '''- The Elder creates a psychosomatic sensation of touch in the target, making not only their mind but their body to acknowledge something that is not there. They may feel a spider brush down their neck, or a sledgehammer hit them in the chest - whatever the sensation, their nervous and muscular systems react fully, and if the illusion is sufficiently horrid, may cause Frenzy. This cannot create auditory or visual accompaniment to the sensation, except that created by the victim's own mind. The more complex, prolonged, or intense the illusion is, the more dramatic the increase Blood cost. # '''Suave Dolor - When a lesser does well, the Elder may grant them a swell of not only gratification beyond that of what they ought to feel, but pleasure outright in a base, satisfying form - not as powerful as the Kiss by half, but certainly noticeable. When they do wrong, the Elder instills their protege with a dull, throbbing pain in punishment - it does not cause damage, nor really any significant hindrance, but it is distracting at best and interruptive at worst. This is conditioning in its truest sense, and is what the Discipline is best known for. This requires line of sight from the user to the target, and lasts for five minutes. # Insensum - Depending upon how much Blood the user devotes to the cause, they may deprive their victim of sensation - usually either a mild, blanketed dimming of all sensations that makes the target feel as though they are in a haze, or the significant hindrance of a specific sense. Completely depriving a sense is a difficult and demanding task; depriving all senses for more than a moment or two has only been accomplished by a select few (notably Tarquinius and the Inner Circle) at great cost. # Panem et Circenses - A power furiously guarded by the Highest Among the High, the Inner Council of Seven, Panem et Circenses pleases or torments the target on a deep level. By depriving them of all external stimuli, the target is cut off from the extant world - the senses are replaced by falsified versions, creating an entire new world experienced only by the target and controlled by the user. This effect lasts for 24 hours, but to the target this may seem like years. The Elder must be able to devote the majority of their focus to this power at all times - as soon as they become too distracted, the effect breaks and the target is free. Kamen Covenant: Exaltum The very definition of keeping face, Kamen - "the Mask" - is the delicate art of balancing the inner Beast with the outward Man. An expression of what it is to be Exalted, Kamen is a celebration of the Beast within, and the mastery of learning to use the vampiric state, with all it entails, in the most constructive manner possible. Those who use this Discipline find it easier to keep themselves from the feelings that lead to Frenzy, but they are by no means immune to it. This is taught to all Exalted who bear themselves true to the cause, in whatever way their superiors see that to come about. # Tatemae - While the Exalted do not find polite society among any but themselves to hold any value, sometimes they must deal with other Covenants or the kine. In such situations, it is prudent to put the Mask to use in displaying emotions one does not necessarily feel, but knows necessary to portray. This power does just that, contorting the Kindred's body language, facial expression, and tone of voice into what would be appropriate for the situation, and remains steady despite any internal feeling or flinching on their part. # The Fitting Time - Through conscious effort, the user may time a Frenzy for just when they need it - either putting off entering Frenzy, or entering one of their own volition, the occurrence of Frenzy is now controlled to an extent. This does not mitigate certain-death caused Frenzies. # The Wave is the Man - When entering a voluntary Frenzy, the Kindred will "ride the wave" - retaining complete control of their actions, the ability to think in a calm, rational fashion, look calm to all those who see them, and even use mental Disciplines such as Dominate if applicable. The Frenzy is still good for the high-energy, normally impossible physical capacities, as well as berserk fighting when necessitated. The Beast is leashed, in a sense, and can be let out and in as needed - but never all the way off the chain, or control will be lost. # Face of the Moment - Activating this power, the Kindred may learn the social rules, expectations, and appropriations for any situation or event instinctively. The appropriate behaviour seems to happen almost on its own - their body glides through the situation, only vaguely given direction by what the Kindred hopes to achieve, and their words are much the same. This effect lasts for the entire social event, or until the user voluntarily breaks from it to do something socially unacceptable. # Masking the Beast - As with The Wave is the Man, the Kindred may retain control of himself in Frenzy - but the effect now takes hold during involuntary Frenzies, as well. This allows a Kindred who is in such a position as being in a burning building to use the inevitable Frenzy to help their escape, while still controlled by calm, rational thought. Liberation Covenant: Carthian Movement While a new Covenant, the Carthian Movement is rife with members - and all of these members have taken a stand against the old ways, against the neo-feudal outlooks of the European monarchies. They have collectively put work into designing abilities that have culminated into an entire Discipline devoted to the process of breaking the hold elders have on the younger society of the Kindred. # Sense Dominion - The Carthian, looking at a collected group of Kindred - at, for example, Elysium - may see the structured societal rule between them. This is who officially rules whom, and all of the Kindred in the room must recognise the rule the Carthian sees. This does, then, allow the Carthian to look upon a given Kindred and know exactly the target's position in the political structuring in the area. # Rallying Blood - With this power, a vampire is able to rally allied warriors by persevering through hardship and injury. The Kindred’s admirable fortitude inspires others to fight on despite their fears. This is also useful to turn about the tide of a fight due to a lack of hope; it creates in allies the bloody and righteous rage, and in enemies a deep-seated sense of imminent loss. # Fugue - By mentioning something that is not true about the state of things (e.g., "Alisander sure was demanding of Donovan this evening," when Donovan is known to be in control of Alisander), the Carthian may cloud the mind of a target on the subject of local politics, throwing them off and skewing their understanding. This lasts until another person sets them straight on how things truly were. This can be used in front of a crowd to disorient quite a few Kindred. # Liberated Mind - Upon entering a possibly spotty situation, the Carthian creates a "shield" around their mind that lasts for the next six hours. This shield acts as a scapegoat - it absorbs any and all attempts at mental Disciplines such as Domination, Majesty, or Obfuscation, and allows the Carthian to see things as they are, with their own free will. It also allows the Carthian a general idea of what is supposed to be happening - specifics, though, remain fuzzy. Those particularly more potent than the Carthian may trounce directly over this power and still afflict them without their knowledge. # Break Vinculum - Allowing a vampire under the effect of a Vinculum to another to drink the Carthian's blood will break the any and all Vinculum the drinker is currently a part of. This is greatly diminished if the holder of the drinker's Vinculum is particularly more potent than the Carthian is, and may just weaken the hold - it will always have some effect, though. Because of this power, the Carthian cannot be subjected, nor subject anyone to, a Vinculum. Theban Sorcery Covenant: Lancea Sanctum Of all the powers of all the covenants, none are so touted as the Sanctum's dark miracles: Theban Sorcery. In the name of the Faith, they weave horrible truths and terrible beauty; in the name of a man few of them were alive long ago enough to see, they cast down others under oppression and forced conversion. Each set of "miracles" follows a Path, each Path with a given mindset. Initiates into the Sanctum are given their choice of Path, and the sigil of that Path is tattooed into their back. Those who have completed all paths, the Disciples, may have large and intensely intricate tattoos. Each path is mechanically treated as a separate Discipline, and its powers are purchased accordingly. Those powers the depend upon sins cannot be used more than once with regards to the same sin - once a sin has been paid for with one power, it may never count towards any others. Levels three and higher in each Path may only be used by those with true Faith. Path of the Crusader: Long and vaulted is the Path of the Crusader; many have tread its ways in the name of the Sanctum. Obviously the most combative of the Sanctum's Path, Crusaders are those who use their faith's terrible miracles to smite the Church's enemies and keep safe those who they feel cannot protect themselves. Its sigil is the Holy Lance. #'Crusader's Blessing '- The Crusader empowers their weapon, making it easier to handle, feel more natural, and cause more damage on contact with the enemy. This does not apply to projectile weapons, as the weapon must be in-hand for the effect to work. # Birds of Sin - From the victim's own veins the Crusader rips blood, and creates two to six birds made of blood; small creatures, the size of hummingbirds, with vicious natures and sharp breaks. These birds then attack whomever they were made from, with severity according to that person's recent sins (e.g., a recent murderer would face an extended onslaught, where one whose only recent sin is a white lie would be pecked on for a few seconds). # Fires of Vengeance- The truest retribution, the Crusader substantiates the victim's sins into the fires of Hell - or so it feels. Their insides begin to itch, but this quickly explodes into the feeling of being aflame on the inside, and that there is fire coursing through their veins - an intense and excruciating feeling, that can last from several seconds to half an hour depending on the severity of recent sins. #'Blood Scourge' - From their own veins, the Crusader pulls a whip made of blood; this acts as a solid, rather than a liquid, when whipping and has a sharp claw at the end. It is meant either to ceremonially scourge oneself, or to show and execute the terrible nature of the punishments sinners deserve. #'Spear of Faith' - By faith alone, the Crusader creates a tangible spear, though it seems to be made of a bright, shimmering light. To all of the Crusader's vampiric enemies, its presence burns like the sun - and to all of the Crusader's non-vampiric enemies, the pointy end is still rather dangerous. Path of the Messiah: The Messiahs, "the anointed ones," are the persevering and tireless heads of the faith; they are the preachers, teachers, and guides, ready every night to show those new to the Sanctum what it means to believe. Its sigil is the chalice. #'Righteous Word' - The Messiahs are so compelling in their words that, when speaking of matters of the faith to kine, they can be entrancing. This often leads one or more kine to willingly follow the Messiah after the latter's sermon, and makes the former an amicable if not exactly willing blood doll for the night. #'Sinner's Song' - Through a simple command worded to achieve the effect, the Messiah may coerce from their victim the victim's most recent sin, regardless of when it occurred or what is was. #'Prison of Denial' - When the Messiah feels one among their flock is ill-affected by an individual, they may cause in that person a inability to see, speak of or to, or think of that person. This may only be used once per day per individual, and may only block one person within another's mind once. # Sanctity - By bringing the Holy Cross into a room and anointing it with Holy Water, the Messiah may banish from the room all those without the Faith. The banished find themselves unable to enter, with their muscles betraying them and turning them away from the room whenever they get too close. #'Micah's Hope' - When being violently (not verbally) persecuted for their faith (as the main reason, at least), the Messiah's speed, strength, and senses increase fivefold. This is a passive effect. Path of the Prophet: The most overtly spectacular of the Paths, the Prophet harkens back to times when God wrote plagues upon the Earth, and used men of the faith to destroy the unholy. This Path seeks to return that mission, that paradigm of the bringer-of-signs back to frequency, that the world might be pure again. As such, the Path's powers are often referred to as the "Holy Signs." Its sigil is the scroll. #'Curse of Babel' - Renders a single person unable to speak for half an hour. It cannot be used on the same person more than once a day. #'Liar's Plague' - Laid out upon entering the presence of one person, a one-time expenditure of blood allows this Sign to remain for as long as the Prophet and the target are in the same room. When the target attempts to lie, locusts made of shadow swarm from their mouth rather than words, dissipating after several seconds. #'Sanguine Fire' - Any blood in the presence of the Prophet can be used for this Sign, and with it being able to supply the power while under the effect, the Sign requires no Vitae from the user. Open, exposed blood outside of a body may be made to burst into flames, burning as if it were lamp oil. #'Rain of Blood' - By evaporating blood through their skin and into the air around them, the Prophet may make it rain blood for a short duration in a small radius. Weak as such a power may seem, its effects on the minds of others is profound - and when used with Sanguine Fire, the Prophet may be seen as making fire rain down. #'Damned's Day' - Usable only one per full solar cycle (roughly 365 days), the Prophet may create a veil of darkness high in the sky even in the middle of a sunny day, completely blotting out the sun for a kilometre around. This allows Kindred who manage to overcome the urge to sleep during the day to walk around outside, completely unharmed, for an hour. Path of the Saviour: Of all the paths, none are so viewed in awe as the Saviour. A solitary path of holy rage and sacrifice, those who walk the footsteps of the Saviour seek to emulate the life and suffering of Christ, to know what it was like both to be God Himself and to suffer as a man. This was the first Path of Longinus. Its sigil is the Holy Cross. #'Crown of Thorns' - By pulling blood either from their own body or from that of a target, the Saviour may crown their victim with a ring of sanguine thorns, briar vines made of actual blood coagulated to the point of being hard. The thorns are embedded into the target's scalp, pressing into but not penetrating the skull. The crown is easily removed. #'Christ's Paces' - Divinity is something to behold - yet, none are worthy to see. By triggering this power, all those whose blood potency or equivalent power source is less than the Saviour's, including all humans, find they are physically incapable of looking at the user as the Saviour walks by. When the Saviour is out of sight, targets' wills are theirs again. #'Gift of Lazarus' - With a touch and an infusion of blood, the Saviour may resurrect a freshly deceased body, healing that which killed it in the process. This resurrection lasts 24 hours, after which the corpse falls dead once again of inexplicable cause. #'Stigmata' - Either on their own body or the body of another, the Saviour replicates the wounds of Christ - creating a stabbing pain as the wounds are opened, and then profuse bleeding from them. The wounds last up to an hour, and leave permanent scars in their wake. #'Martyr's Miracle' - By sacrificing their own unlife, the Saviour may use their Vitae to create an impenetrable shield around another person or Kindred. This shield protects them from literally all external sources of harm, including sunlight and fire, for the next 2 hours. The Saviour suffers Final Death in this process, and there is no way to revivificate them. Category:Kindred Lore